Russell Westbrook

Although Kevin Durant is still the face of the Thunder, it was only after Russell Westbrook joined the team that they started seeing wins. And with wins comes more collector interest. Russell Westbrook cards have seen a lot of movement as of late thanks to his stellar play.

After just a few seasons, Westbrook has emerged as an elite point guard in the NBA. He offers a good complement to Durant as it forces defenders to cover more than one star to shut down their offense. Also, injures to Durant have given Russell Westbrook a chance to be the main feature of the offense, and Westbrook has thrived in this role.

Russell Westbrook already commands strong values for his autographs and rookie cards, second only to Derrick Rose among players from the 2008 NBA Draft. Although not a top-tier hobby favorite overall, Russell Westbrook cards are firmly entrenched at a level below. With the team the Thunder have in place, it is hard to imagine a scenario where they don't win a championship in the near future, which will push his value higher.

There are almost 30 official rookie Russell Westbrook cards from 2008-09, with over a third being autographed. Also, a pair of Russell Westbrook cards from 2007-08 products receive solid interest despite not being true rookie cards. Both were originally issued as redemptions. They include 2007-08 Chronology #254, which is numbered to 250, and 2007-08 Finest #104.

Top Russell Westbrook Rookie Cards

The best option among first-year Russell Westbrook cards, 2008-09 Exquisite Collection features an on-card autograph and diamond-shaped patch swatch. The great design combines a color scheme that matches the Thunder's uniform and properly displays the autograph and jersey. Collectors can expect to spend over $600 for ungraded copies of this elite card.

With a slightly larger print run than Exquisite, 2008-09 SP Authentic still holds its own among Russell Westbrook cards, thanks to its on-card autograph and jersey piece. SP Authentic also has a retail version that includes a similar Westbrook rookie card. The main difference is that the card uses red foil instead of gold and does not have a jersey piece. The retail version is much more rare despite not being serially numbered.

With the lowest print run on the list, UD Black could be seen as the top option for premium collectors. Although it also features an on-card autograph and quad jersey piece that spells out 2008, it actually represents the best value among rookie Russell Westbrook cards. Despite being limited to 99 copies, it can be had for, on average, about a quarter the amount of Westbrook's Exquisite rookie.

Russell Westbrook Autographed Memorabilia Buying Guide

Below you will find an example of what Russell Westbrook's authentic signature looks like. This can be used as a first point of reference for determining the legitimacy of autograph memorabilia, but is not a substitute for having your items authenticated by a well-respected professional autograph authentication company. Reputable authentication companies include JSA, PSA, Panini Authentic and Mounted Memories to name a few. Click on any of the images below to view full size photos.

Russell Westbrook Cut Signature Exemplar

Russell Westbrook Key Signature Attributes: An authentic Russell Westbrook signature autograph will exhibit several distinguishing characteristics, depending on when in his career the item was signed. Other characteristics that play into his signature style are the particular item and venue. Look for the following signature features:

The whole signature is hastily written with only a couple of legible letters.

The letter "R" is legible with the rear vertical line written on a 50 degree angle and exhibiting a very narrow loop.

The next several letters are implied with only the "e-l" being discernible and even then the "e" resembles more of an "a" and the "l" is not completed.

Trey Treutel | E-Mail Author |
Trey Treutel is an Ole Miss grad and a lifelong sports fanatic. He is a huge fan of the NBA and NFL, as well as soccer, college basketball and college football. As a kid, he collected football and basketball cards. As an adult, he started collecting basketball cards again on a whim and has since expanded to other sports and entertainment options. Find Trey on Twitter at @datreute.